Collaborations

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Collaborations

Nortisbio-Liver MPS

Simulations Plus-BIOLOGXsym™ Macromolecule Safety Software

IBM-Huntington’s Disease Modeling

Mimetas-Liver Organoplate™

Academic Collaborations

Innovative thinking is the hallmark of academic research. Through such thinking new ideas are developed to address societal issues. In the realm of drug discovery, the UPDDI is prepared to help translate those ideas into reality. While we have major Programs in Metastatic Cancers, Neurodegenerative diseases, and Liver Diseases, the UPDDI is dedicated to support projects in any therapeutic area in optimizing the discovery and development of new molecular entities and diagnostic biomarkers for advancement to the clinic.

Drug Discovery Programs are based on Quantitative Systems Pharmacology and explore opportunities with multiple PIs with a defined goal of developing a therapeutic, and potentially a companion diagnostic, addressing a critical, unmet clinical need. These collaborations incorporate a committed, integrated, multidisciplinary team including clinical, pharmacology, computational and systems biology, screening, medicinal chemistry, basic biology, safety, and ADMET expertise throughout the program. The team adheres to a comprehensive plan following a determined critical path. Keys to these programs are the development and alignment of all necessary resources towards the goal (including pharmaceutical industry and federal agency partners) and the clinical relevancy at all phases of the program.

Drug Discovery Projects have the goal of generating specific information/knowledge such as testing a hypothesis or model, developing an assay or screen, or validating new technology. These collaborations are generally between a Principal Investigator (PI) and investigators in the UPDDI where the resources are applied to a specific task toward the goal (e.g., assay development or gathering data). Individual projects can evolve into a program.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss your project and to demonstrate how our integrative approach can help power your discoveries. Please contact the UPDDI Director of Operations to set up an informal meeting to discuss your ideas and proposals. We look forward to collaborating with you to create a new future.

CONTACT

Mark E. Schurdak, PhD
Director of Operations University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute
Associate Professor of Computational and Systems Biology

mes234@pitt.edu

Main line 412-648-9200 4309
Pittsburgh Technology Center
700 Technology Dr
Pittsburgh PA 15219

Pharmaceutical Industry Collaborations

The University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute (UPDDI) is committed to continue developing strong collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in order to bring our expertise in quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) and human microphysiology systems (MPS) to bear on the discovery and development of novel and repurposed therapeutics.

Thank you for your interest in collaborating with the University of Pittsburgh. We look forward to having the opportunity to show case our vast array of technologies and capabilities to our Industry partners. The University of Pittsburgh is currently the third ranked NIH funded institution. The University is also proud to be the home of several world class centers and institutes.

We look forward to learning more about your interests and exploring ways we may collaborate.

CONTACT

Mark E. Schurdak, PhD
Director of Operations University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute
Associate Professor of Computational and Systems Biology

mes234@pitt.edu